Another TV commentator sets sights for Costa Rica
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The country got a small boost Monday night when Fox Network commentator Bill O’Reilly said “I am going to move to Costa Rica and get out of everyone’s way.”
His on-air comments shortly after 6 p.m. got a quick reaction from some Costa Ricans who said the country would benefit from rich persons like O’Reilly moving here.
The right-wing commentator was addressing a Gallup Poll report that said 36 percent of the U.S. public and 46 percent of those who say they are Democrats said that rich people are of no benefit to the United States.
O’Reilly said that he was rich, thanks to his television success and that “class envy is being stoked by the Democratic Party.”
Then he had a one-sided debate with Mary Anne Marsh, former adviser to Sen. John Kerry, and Kirsten Powers, a USA Today contributor. Both are Democrats. Ms. Powers, at least believed in equal distribution of wealth.
That’s when he made the comment that if he was no good for the country he would move to Costa Rica.
“We are seeing less people with enough funds to survive coming to Costa Rica from the States, so please ask more people like O’Reilly to move here quickly,” said Angela Jiménez Rocha of Escazú almost immediately via email.
“In all seriousness, Costa Rica is on the mind of many people in the States,” she added. “If we could convince the government to make our country (like Panamá has done) more friendly to seniors with funds coming from the States, real estate values would move up.” She is a real estate appraiser.
Costa Rica seems to be the destination of choice for right-wing commentators. More than a year ago, Rush Limbaugh said he would go to Costa Rica if President Barack Obama’s health care plan were passed. Press notices called the country a center of offshore medical care for U.S. citizens.
